Heat exchanger fin straightening device



Oct. 6, 1970 G. w. A. LANCE 3,531,975

INVENTOR gala a L WALT R 405 [AA/c5 A T TOR/V5 V United States Patent OUS. Cl. 72-457 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A manually operatedcombing device for straightening bent and deformed fins of heat,exchanger coils such as used in refrigeration systems for airconditioning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) This invention lies in the field handoperated sheet metal working tools and is particularly directed to finstraightening tools for removing the dented and bent edges from fins ofheat exchangers such as air conditioning condensers and the like so asto allow free passage of air through the fins.

(2) Heretofore, it has been a tedious and time consuming job to utilizea thin screwdriver or putty knife to straighten one fin at a time indented and damaged condenser fins. Further, exact parallelism of thefins when straightened could not be obtained even with stiff brush andcomb devices used in the past because of lack of lateral positionalcontrol and proper stiffness of the fin engaging elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is toprovide a hand tool having members adapted to be drawn between the finsto straighten out any deformed r bent portions of the heat transferfins.

Another object is to provide a fin straightener for condensers and thelike taking the form of a brush-like device having means for regulatingthe lateral stiffness and lateral spacing of the active members engagingbetween and traveling along the edges of the fins to be straightened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showingthe fin straightening device of this invention in actual use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the fin straightening device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the fin straightening device.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the device in useindicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view indicated by the line 5-5 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modification of the tipstructure of the straightening elements of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As an example of one embodimentof this invention there is shown a device for straightening the fins 10of heat exchanger coils 11 comprising a handle 12 having a flattenedbase portion 13 in which is secured one end of 3,531,975 Patented Oct.6, 1970 pairs of work engaging elements 14, preferably taking the formof spring wire or equivalent material.

Each pair of work engaging elements 14 are positioned in normal lateralabutting contact at 15 as they issue from the flattened securing baseportion 13. A tension adjusting slide member 16 closely slidinglyengages its inside surfaces 17 and 18 with the members 14 in the samecross-sectional configuration as the members 14 issue from the baseportion 13 of the handle. By sliding the tension or stiffeners adjustmember 16 between position 16 and 16a the desired lateral pressure atthe contact area 15 may be varied so as to accommodate the device tovariations in thickness and stiffness of the fins 10.

With the tension adjusting member set to desired position, the device ispresented to the fins 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 and movedlongitudinally up and down the fins to straighten out the deformedportions 19 of the fins as the fins slide relatively between theabutting contact surfaces 15 of the device.

In certain instances where the fins are more widely spaced, two or morepairs of work engaging elements 14 may be presented between the fins 10as in FIG. 5 with appropriate adjustment of the tension member 16. Thepairs of wire may also take the form single doubled over looped members20 as shown in FIG. 6 and are preferably bent at an obtuse angle asshown at 21 for easy initial entrance of the elements 14 between thefins and smooth operation of the device in either direction along thefins during the straightening operations.

What is claimed is:

1. A fin straightening device comprising in combination:

(A) a handle,

(B) a base portion on the handle,

(C) elongated work engaging elements fixed at one end in the flattenedbase portion of the handle,

(D) a tension adjusting -member surrounding the Work engaging elementsand slidable longitudinally thereon between the base portion of thehandle and the outer ends of the work engaging members.

2. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engagingelements comprise pairs of flexible Wire members mounted in the base innormal lateral abutting Contact.

3. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engagingelements have open free ends.

4. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engagingelements take the form of single doubled over looped members.

5. A fin straightening device as in claim 1 wherein the work engagingelements are bent at an obtuse angle at a {point between the outer endsthereof and the tension adjusting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,958 6/1958 Bundy 72-4572,818,757 1/1958 Pille 72-457 2,912,888 11/1959 Webb 72-457 3,041,900 7/1962 Wagner 72-457 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner G. P. CROSBY,Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

